SB 34(1) (Crutchfield/Boyd): Addresses several teacher certification issues:

• Authorizes the State Board of Education to grant exemptions from certification requirements for Library Media Specialists to those districts with a shortage in this area.
  
  
• Specifies that completion of the curriculum examination shall satisfy the competency examination requirement for anyone seeking certification in administration who successfully completed the examination prior to May 1, 1999 and who will complete a masters degree in school administration prior to December 31, 1999.
  
  
• Grants a three-year extension to individuals who held a provisional certificate in Speech-Language Pathology during the 1998-1999 school year. After July 1, 2002, provisional certificate renewal will require documentation of progress towards completion of the relevant masters degree program.
  
  
• Creates the Task Force on Speech-Language Pathologists in the Public Schools to study the needs of public school districts and recommend strategies to employ qualified speech-language pathologists. Effective 7-1-99

SB 35(1) (Long/Ostrander): Modifies the Teacher Due Process Act (TDPA) to apply the dismissal, suspension, and evaluation provisions of the TDPA to teachers employed on temporary contracts for a complete school year. Extends evaluation provisions of the TDPA to teachers employed in positions fully funded by federal or private categorical grants. Extends all substantive and procedural rights of the TDPA to teachers employed on contracts, except those employed on temporary contracts, substitute teachers, and adult education teachers. Prohibits temporary contracts for more than three semesters, except to replace a teacher who is on an approved leave of absence and who is expected to return. Requires full written disclosure of the temporary nature of the contract at the time the contract position is offered; otherwise, the teacher shall be considered as employed on a continuing contract basis. Prohibits a teacher employed on a continuing contract basis from being reemployed on a temporary contract. Effective 7-1-99

SB 65(1) (Fisher/Benson): Requires school districts to forward student records, including disciplinary records, within three business days upon request of the district in which the student is currently enrolled. Effective 7-1-99

SB 89(1) (Williams/Roberts): Modifies the residency requirements for members of the Education Oversight Board to require that at least one member reside in each congressional district. Effective 7-1-99

SB 151(1) (Haney and Hobson/Ervin): Proposes a state constitutional amendment to allow public colleges and universities to enter into contracts for more than a year but not more than three years with presidents of the institutions. Authorizes the State Regents for Higher Education to establish a lease-financing program by which the Regents may purchase computers, cars, and similar items and lease them to state colleges and universities. Allows payment for services provided by sports officials, research participants, and other temporary service providers for higher education institutions to be made from petty cash funds. Exempts higher education institutions from requirement to use the central payroll system. Effective 7-1-99

SB 164(1) (Hobson/Benson): Changes the governance of Rogers State University from the Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges to the Board of Regents for the University of Oklahoma. Effective 6-1-99

SB 262(1) (Dunlap/Wilt): Deletes superfluous language in Title 70 that places limits on contracts for public buildings which are governed by the Public Competitive Bidding Act (PCBA) in Title 61. The PCBA was amended last year to make $12,500 the minimum contract for which contracts must be competitively bid. Since schools are under the PCBA, this bill removes the duplication. Restates in Title 61 some of the language deleted from Title 70 to preserve the ability of a school district to carry out some improvements on a force account basis. A "force account basis" is the means by which a school district may make improvements out of existing school funds using school employees, rather than bidding out the projects. The language exempting contracts with a state agency for asbestos abatement from the Competitive Bidding Act is also restated. Effective 7-1-99

SB 636(1) (Dickerson/Nations): Modifies the alternate School District Budget Act to require school districts to amend the original budget after the June financial activity has been recorded, the annual Foundation and Salary Incentive Aid allocation has been released, and the property tax valuations have been certified for all affected counties within the school district, and requires the amended budget to include certain information. Effective 7-1-99

SB 758(1) (Horner/Ross): Directs the State Board of Education to adopt a social studies core curriculum that reflects the racial, ethnic, religious, and cultural diversity of the United States. The bill also requires the State Textbook Committee to incorporate the provisions of this bill into the criteria used to evaluate U.S. history and Oklahoma history textbooks. Effective 11-1-99

SB 763(1) (Williams/Blackburn): Directs the State Board of Education to adopt a program for the career development of public school paraprofessionals. Paraprofessionals will not be required to participate in the career development program. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1029(1) (Wells/Fisher): Authorizes appointments and specifies terms of office to fill certain vacancies on school district and vocational-technical school boards of education. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1118(1) (Turner/Rozell): Allows area vocational-technical school districts to transfer personal property to certain school districts or public schools. Limits use of motor vehicles donated to board of regents. Effective 5-21-99

HB 1174(3) (McCarter/Fisher): Would have modified procedures for dismissal or suspension of an administrator. (See Vetoed Bills section)

HB 1176(1) (McCarter/Maddox): Relates to school activity funds. Modifies deposits in such funds. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1251(1) (Boyd/Henry): Allows boards of education to become member of organizations or associations. Allows payment of fees, dues and costs. Allows school district boards of education to provide informational material. Prohibits the release of audits before certain periods. Provides procedures for indebtedness. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1252(1) (Boyd/Williams): Relates to the Reading Sufficiency Act and requires certain input into the district reading sufficiency plans. Requires each school site committee to include a fourth grade teacher in the development of a student's reading plan. Effective 11-1-99

HB 1263(1) (Seikel/Haney): Allows certain electors to vote for annexation of school districts in certain affected areas. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1284(1) (Benson/Helton): Makes adjustments to alternative education. Requires licensed or certified teachers in alternative education programs. Requires alternative education programs to allow students to participate in graduation exercises and extracurricular activities. Requires alternative education programs to be operational by September 15. Directs school districts to expend certain amount of funds on alternative education students. Directs consolidation of alternative education programs serving fewer than 10 students. Requires expenditure reports from school districts. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1289(4) (Henry and Muegge/Smith (Dale) and Reese): This bill was not enacted, but is alive on the Senate calendar. It enacts the Standards for School Drug and Alcohol Testing Act, effective September 1, 2000. Does not require that schools test for drugs or alcohol. Requires schools that choose to test for drugs or alcohol after September 1, 2000, to adopt policies governing the way tests are administered and sanctions that may be applied for violations of the schools drug and alcohol policies. Limits action school may take based on an initial positive test. Provides standards for drug and alcohol testing procedures. Provides immunity from civil liability for actions taken pursuant to statutes related to student searches and drug and alcohol testing. Conference Committee Report on Senate calendar.

HB 1365(1) (Begley/Williams): Provides for reimbursement for expenses incurred in reading assessment and remediation pursuant to the Reading Sufficiency Act. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1386(1) (Wells/Wilkerson): Modifies travel reimbursement requirements for school districts. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1511(1) (Settle/Haney): Continues the administration of the criterion-referenced test in geography to eleventh grade students. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1595(1) (Eddins/Williams): Modifies provisions relating to early childhood and kindergarten programs. The bill allows school districts to contract for certain classroom space. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1599(1) (Staggs/Williams): Ends state-mandated norm-referenced testing in the third and seventh grades and mandates it in the fourth grade only. Requires criterion-referenced testing (CRT) in grades five and eight and end-of-instruction tests for 4 core subjects in grades 9 through 12. Expresses legislative intent that possible use of the end-of-instruction tests as high-stakes (graduation) tests be reviewed and considered, as data become available. Requires remediation if test results are unsatisfactory. If funds are available, the State Department of Education is to develop and field-test CRTs for grade three. Requires State Board of Education to post sample test questions on the Internet. Changes format of reporting through the Educational Indicators program. Establishes the Oklahoma Performance Index. Changes procedures for identifying low-performing and high challenge schools based on the Oklahoma Performance Index. Establishes the legislative Advisory Committee on School Curriculum Standards. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1647(1) (Deutschendorf/Williams): Provides for grants for the development of Internet homework tutoring chatrooms and a school testing assistance Internet web page. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1659(1) (Newport/Crutchfield): Requires American Sign Language be granted the same credit as a foreign language course. Effective 7-1-99

HB 1759(1) (Benson/Taylor): is the education reform bill. In final version it contained several reform measures including:

• Requires the ACT recommended core curriculum for high school graduates beginning in the year 2002-2003. . HB 1592 would have moved this date back one year to begin with 2003-2004 graduates, but the governor vetoed the bill stating it would be a "disservice". The ACT core includes 4 units of Language Arts, 3 units of Math, 3 units of Science, and 3 units of Social Studies. Certain courses that must be taken are specified and some options are allowed. Also requires students to attend a rigorous six-period school day or its equivalent in block scheduling.
  
  
• Creates the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act, which will allow school boards and area vo-tech boards of education to sponsor charter schools as pilot programs in Oklahoma and Tulsa counties and certain districts in contiguous counties.
  
  
• Creates the Education Open Transfer Act beginning January 1, 2000, which will allow students to apply to attend a school in a district other than the district of residence. Approval of the transfer is required only by the receiving district.
  
  
• Creates an Academic Performance Index (API) to assess school improvement in a context of multiple factors.
  
  
• Implementation of the following provisions is contingent upon Oklahoma reaching 90% of the regional average per pupil expenditure.
  
  
• Creates the Oklahoma Tuition Scholarship Act, which will provide for payment of tuition up to a maximum of 60 credit hours at an Oklahoma public or private institution of higher education or a vo-tech/higher education cooperative program. Limits tuition payments to private institutions to the tuition rate at public institutions and prohibits funding for remedial courses. To qualify for a scholarship, students must have been awarded a diploma of honor, scored a minimum of 22 on the ACT, and have a maximum adjusted gross family income of $70,000.
  
  
• Provides for remediation in math as part of the state testing program. Increases teacher bonus for National Board Certification from $5,000 to $7,000. Modifies the teacher forgivable loan program for prospective teachers in shortage areas.
  
  
• Provides grants for before- and after-school programs and summer programs for at-risk students. Expands alternative education programs to middle school and elementary schools with high populations of at-risk students.
  
  
• Requires the State Board of Education to develop an Academic Performance award program based on the Academic Performance Index.
  
  
• Requires districts to offer full-day kindergarten to be phased-in over a 3-year period and sets a state aid formula pupil weight for full day. Parents have the option to send their child to a half-day or full-day program.
  
  
• Addresses social promotion in the 3rd through 8th grades by requiring summer remediation and possible retention.

  Some provisions are effective 7-1-99

HB 1765(1) (Newport/Crutchfield): Authorizes district school boards of education to develop and make available character education programs. Effective 7-1-99

HJR 1012(1) (Lindley/Monson): Requires the Superintendent of Public Instruction to conduct a survey of public school sites with safe school committees and issue a report.

School funding measures not enacted:

SJR 8 (Henry/Boyd): Proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow school district voters to approve additional property taxes to support a technology fund for the district.

SB 713 (Henry/Williams): Contingent upon approval of the constitutional amendment proposed in SJR 8, this bill created a technology incentive fund, to provide matching funds for distribution to districts that vote to create a technology fund for the district. Provided a distribution formula that would equalize the technology funds per capita among districts statewide.

SJR 22 (Henry/Staggs): Proposed a constitutional amendment that would have allowed each school district to decide by a vote of the district electors whether the district would be able to approve a proposal for school capital projects funded by ad valorem taxes by a simple majority rather than the currently required 3/5 majority.

SJR 23 (Henry/Boyd): Proposed a constitutional amendment that would allow each school district to decide by a vote of the district electors whether the district could raise its debt limit for school capital projects to 15% of the property valuation within the district from the current limit of 10%.